Should you spend your Qantas Points at Kogan?
The usual rule applies: do not buy a toaster.
Online retailer Kogan has offered the ability to earn Qantas Points on purchases since 2015. Now it has extended that partnership, allowing customers to make purchases using their Qantas Points balance. But is that a good way to use those points?
You can use your points for anything that's on sale at Kogan that costs $20 or more. 4,000 Qantas Points scores you a $20 discount on your purchase. You can only spend in 4,000-point increments. In practice, that means you're getting $5 in value for each 1,000 points.
That means that Kogan lines up with most other retailers in terms of the dollar value it offers. Detailed analysis by Finder shows that you'll typically get $3-$6 in value for each 1,000 Qantas Points if you buy physical goods.
That's better than getting nothing at all, but redeeming points for flights offers much more value. You can easily get $20 value for 1,000 points with an economy flight, and the figure rises to $60 or more for flight upgrades.
One interesting quirk of the new arrangement: if you use points to pay at Kogan, you'll still earn points on the entire transaction. But that still doesn't make up for the relatively low value you're getting.
My take? If you're shopping at Kogan anyway, then earning the points definitely makes sense. Maximise your savings by making sure you take advantage of sales and discount coupons (Finder maintains a handy, constantly-updated list of Kogan codes). But stash your points and spend them on flights, not toasters.
Angus Kidman's Findings column looks at new developments and research that help you save money, make wise decisions and enjoy your life more. It appears regularly on finder.com.au.
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